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Republicans keep control; Only one charter revision question passes

By Tammi NaudusThe Republicans will retain control of all the major town boards, following Tuesday’s elections. Above, Republicans, mostly from the Board of Education, celebrate as the final numbers come in.

By Tammi NaudusSouthington Democrats were a bit forlorn as the results came in Tuesday night, showing that the boards and commissions in town would remain under Republican control.

By Lisa Capobianco

Staff Writer

Southington Republicans have retained control of the town, keeping majorities on the various town boards, including the Town Council and Board of Education.

Though the faces may have changed somewhat, the Republicans kept a supermajority on the Town Council, with all six Republican candidates being elected. The three Democrats running for re-election round out the council.

Reverend Victoria Triano, a former town councilor, won the most votes among the Republican with a total of 5,085 votes, winning her way back onto the council. Michael Riccio, who has also served as a town councilor, in 2007, also won re-election to the council.

“It is such a great honor to serve the community I love,” Triano said.

Republican incumbents Stephanie Urillo and Cheryl Lounsbury won reelection the council, along with new faces Thomas Lombardi and Paul Champagne.

“I am confident that we will all work together as a team,” Lombardi said.

Meanwhile, Democrats watched anxiously as the numbers came in, gathering around the projector and screen. However, the mood turned sour as the results began to show that the Republicans would retain control across the board.

Chris Palmieri, the minority leader on the council, won re-election with the majority of votes in his party. He received 5,084 votes.

“I respect the voters, but I am disappointed,” said Palmieri. “I think we worked hard as a team.”

Democrat incumbents Dawn Miceli and John Barry also won their seats again on the Town Council.

“I will do my best and work with the other members,” Barry said.

The Republicans also continued to outnumber the Democrats on the Board of Education, as the makeup of the board stayed the same, with all incumbents winning re-election.

“I am so proud of our whole team,” said Republican incumbent Terry Lombardi. “I am thrilled that we can continue the work we started,” Terri Carmody added.

Board of Education Chairman Brian Goralski said that although the Republicans outnumber the Democrats, the board will continue to work as a team, despite party affiliations.

“It is about our team—the Board of Education is about what is best,” said Goralski who won the most votes in his party, with a total of 5,116 votes.

Democratic incumbent Patricia Johnson won re-election along with incumbents Zaya Oshana and David Derynoski.

“The schools are good,” Johnson said. “We are going to make them better.”

The Republicans also dominated other town departments, including the Planning and Zoning Commission, with incumbent Michael DelSanto earning the most votes. Republican incumbents Paul Chaplinsky and Stephen Kalkowski also won seats on the Commission, along with Democrat Susan Locks.

“I am excited—we have a hard-working team,” said DelSanto, who won 5,039 votes.

Kathy Larkin beat Sandra Brunoli for Town Clerk, a position currently held by Republican Leslie Cotton, who will retire in January, after serving as clerk for 20 years.

For the Board of Finance, Republicans retain control four to two, with Edward Pocock Jr. earning the most votes, with 4,937. Republicans John Leary, James Coleman and Joseph Labieniec also won, along with Democrats Kevin Beaudoin and Sandra Feld.

Meanwhile, the Water Board remained the same with Democrats Angelina SantaMaria and Thomas Murphy joining Republican Gregory Klimaszewski.

This year, voters also had the final say on three proposed charter revisions. Only one of the three proposals, the questions dealing with contracts for public works and transfers of appropriations, passed.

Both the proposal to turn the Board of Police and Fire Commissioners into advisory boards and the question dealing with the division of purchases did not pass.

According to the Town Clerk’s office, 33.8 percent of the town’s 25,824 registered voters made their way out to the polls Tuesday.